Given that I’m both a contributing writer to Inside Weddings magazine and a fashion blogger, you would think the question What should I wear to a wedding? would be a no brainer. But truth be told, I was a little stumped. Here’s why…

The wedding began at 11am, which is a time when I can normally be found in my pajamas (in fact I’m laying in bed in my pajamas in a hotel room right now as I write this and it’s 12:06pm). Apparently it’s hereditary: We just got back from visiting my family and both my parents, sister and my five-year-old niece didn’t wake up until nearly noon each day. A girl can’t help her genetic makeup, can she? I digress…

The June wedding took place at the Casa del Mar, a gorgeous beachside hotel in Santa Monica, California, but was mostly an indoor affair. The invitation called for “afternoon cocktail attire.” While you could get away with a little black dress for an evening wedding, it just didn’t feel right for early afternoon. I wanted something colorful but not too loud, ladylike, fun and daytime appropriate (re: not too revealing). You never want to take away any attention from the bride and want to show respect by following some guiding principles (like no white dresses).

I spotted this sleeveless dress and fell in love with the brilliant blue hue and flouncy fit (and it was a steal at under $60). But I instantly thought it wouldn’t work with my alabaster skin. Turns out I was wrong: Cool blues pair perfectly with pale complexions (hooray for small miracles!). I added a few bright tomato accents (nails, bag, bracelet) as well as some colorblock touches (shoes, bracelet, scarf tied around my shoulders as an alternative to a traditional pashmina) and ended up loving the way this look came together. Plus, the swingy skirt made for a fun time on the dance floor. A dress you can twirl in can’t be beat.